Five assaulted by Jaffna SLA warded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2001, 15:16 GMT]Five civilians who were arrested and severely assaulted by Sri Lanka Army soldiers on Sunday have been admitted at the Manthikai hospital in Jaffna. Hospital sources said they were suffering from serious head injuries. Four were arrested by troops during a search operation in Mandaan and one in Inparutti both in the Vadamaradchi division on Sunday. The four youth from Mandaan said they were taken to a local army camp and were severely assaulted. They said the SLA officer in charge of the camp was drunk at that time.

On Monday troops went to the hospital and warned the victims not to tell anyone about the incident. The victims said troops gave them soft drinks, handed back their identity cards and urged them to discharge from the hospital. “They wanted us to be treated at the army camp”, the victims said.

Meanwhile in a similar incident at Inparutti, also in the Vadamaradchi, troops arrested a 23-year old youth, Thirugnanasampanthar Puvanaroopan, on Sunday night and severely assaulted him at 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters. The soldiers admitted him at the Manthikai hospital after he fainted.

Hospital sources said the youth had injuries on his head and chest. The youth was later discharged from the hospital and he is being held at the Brigade HQ, source said.